The Horse Whisperer: The Sweetest Gift
by Angel31
Summary: The first Horse Whisperer fic! (I think...lol) Frank has a suprise for Diane...please r


The Horse Whisperer: The Sweetest Gift  
  
By: Mary (aka Angel)  
  
Disclaimer: I do NOT own the rights to these characters. They belong to other people and the great cast that made them. I am simply borrowing them for a short story so please don't sue me…lol.  
  
NOTE: Dianne Wiest is my favorite actress, so I just had to write this…she was the best part of the movie and I hated that the movie didn't get into detail of her character…so, here ya go…my story…please let me know what you think.  
  
Cheap Plug for site: www.diannewiest.cjb.net  
  
  
  
  
  
Diane Booker sat in her favorite spot, under her favorite tree in the shade with her favorite book. Frank decided to take the boys fishing so Diane took advantage of their trip to have some quiet time, which happened only once in a blue moon anymore. She loved being on the ranch but it did get boring, so routine. Not that she didn't enjoy her life the way it was, she loved it and wouldn't change it for the world, she just wanted a little bit of time away. When she read her book on the history of Morocco it was like taking a trip to the far away place that she had dreamed of almost her entire life. Even though she wasn't really standing in Morocco, when she closed her eyes she could see it. From all the pictures that she had saved from magazines, and in books she could create it in her mind and to her it was close enough…probably as close as she would ever be. She lay on her stomach and looked down at the book. It was a Photographic Tour book that Frank got her when they were still dating. The edges were worn and the pages were beginning to fade from its constant use. She skimmed the footnotes and short paragraphs of history and dates, those she had memorized years ago. The pictures were what she most enjoyed. She could just stare for hours at the glorious pictures of the landscape and the buildings. She rolled over on her back and looked up at the clouds, the best scene on the ranch she thought. As the clouds rolled by above her she closed her eyes for a rest and drifted off to sleep.  
  
Frank knelt beside his wife "Diane" he said patting her side. She opened her eyes and smiled.  
  
"We've been lookin' all over for you" he smiled and helped her off the ground.  
  
"I guess I lost track of time" she yawned "did you have fun?"  
  
"I didn't catch anything but a cold" he sneezed "the twins got into a fight and I fell into the pond trying to break them up."  
  
Diane started to laugh "I'm sorry" she tried to fight it.  
  
"It's not that funny," he said and he too started to laugh.  
  
The walked hand in hand back to the house, Diane leaving her thoughts of Morocco in her favorite spot, under the tree.  
  
Frank slipped out of the living room and into the kitchen. Diane had fallen asleep next to him on the couch so he decided to use the moment to make a call so she wouldn't hear him. He took a piece of paper from his pocket with a number written on it, dialed and looked out into the living room to make sure she was still asleep.  
  
"Hello? Yes, this is Frank Booker…I'm calling to confirm a six o'clock flight to Morocco for next Saturday" he said so soft that he hoped he wouldn't have to repeat himself.  
  
"Frank?" Diane yawned.  
  
"Just a minute baby" he called nervously. He finished up the conversation on the phone and hung up.  
  
"Who was that?" she asked sleepily.  
  
"What? What?" his voice was shaky.  
  
"On the phone" she laughed.  
  
"Oh, wrong number, that's all" he took her hand and they went to bed.  
  
The next morning Frank was quiet not to wake Diane. He had only a half-hour before she got up to make phone calls to several friends and family members, without her knowing. Her fiftieth birthday was two days away and he wanted it to be special for her. For almost a year he had been planning the trip to Morocco. It hadn't been easy keeping it from her, he hated lying, but he figured the look on her face when she found out that she was finally going to fulfill her dream of seeing the great city would be worth it. It also hadn't been easy planning the surprise party that he was giving her. Several times she walked in on him while talking to one of the relatives or friends helping him decorate or catering the food. He had run out of excuses months ago so now had to be even more careful and secretive.  
  
After he'd finished he rushed outside to do his morning chores before she got up. After he fed the animals he dirtied himself up a bit to make it look like he had been working hard in the barn, then he went inside to join Diane and the boys for breakfast.  
  
"What happened to you?" Diane asked looking up from her plate.  
  
"I…um…fell….in the dirt…" he stuttered.  
  
"You better wash up before you eat, I just cleaned the floor" she got his plate ready.  
  
He hurried past her to the bathroom to clean up and change. Just two more days to go he thought and then he could surprise her with the trip and everything would be back to normal. When he was done he joined his family in the dining room. Diane had gone into the kitchen to check on a pie that she was making for dinner.  
  
"Did you get the tables and chairs for tomorrow the party?" Frank whispered to his brother Tom.  
  
"It wasn't easy, your wife wouldn't stop asking me why she couldn't go into the creek house this morning" Tom complained "I'm not meant for this kinda stuff…next time hire professionals."  
  
"Hire professionals for what?" Diane asked taking her seat at the head of the table.  
  
Tom and Frank looked at each other nervously "Nothing" the said simultaneously.  
  
Diane looked at them suspiciously "What is I with you two? You've been jumpy lately."  
  
"They're" Frank covered one of the twins mouths before he could finish his sentence.  
  
"-What have I told you about talkin' with your mouth full?" he held his hand over his son's mouth.  
  
"Frank, stop that" Diane scolded.  
  
The boy's giggled "That's enough, go finish your chores" she said.  
  
The got up from the table and ran out.  
  
"What's going on with you two?" she asked Frank and Tom, clearly annoyed.  
  
"Nothing" Frank smiled.  
  
"I'll leave you two alone" Tom got up and hurried out.  
  
"Frank" she said.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What's going on?" she repeated.  
  
"Nothing…"  
  
"Don't lie to me!" she warned.  
  
He sighed and went to her side, kneeling beside her. "I can't tell you. It's a surprise that's all I can say."  
  
"A surprise?" she smiled.  
  
"Yes. Now, just forget you heard anything" he kissed her cheek "and humor me…okay?"  
  
"All right" she sighed. "Give me a hint?"  
  
"No" he said.  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Come on, just a little one" she begged.  
  
  
  
Frank was relieved when her birthday finally arrived. Only a few more hours to go and he would be able to surprise her with the party and the trip. He got up an hour early to make her breakfast in bed. Cooking was definitely not his strong suit. When he cracked the eggs on the side of the counter they dripped to the floor. A towel next to the stove's flame caught on fire and he had to drop the towel to the floor and stomp on it to put the fire out. Then to make matters worse the caterer called and was unable to make the party on time. He wrapped his burnt finger in a paper with ice, picked up the wooden tray with her breakfast and made his way to their bedroom.  
  
"Daddy!" the twins yelled as he rounded the corner.  
  
"Shh, you're mother is asleep" he whispered.  
  
They ran off down the hall. Quietly he went inside their room and sat next to her on the bed. "Good morning" he smiled as she opened her eyes.  
  
"It is now" she giggled.  
  
"Happy Birthday!" he put the tray on her lap and she managed a small smile. It was that smell that woke her, her husband's infamous cooking.  
  
"You really didn't have to do this" she smiled.  
  
"I wanted to. Today is your day, you don't have to lift a finger." There was a loud crash from the next room and the sound of the twins fighting "I'll handle this" he kissed her cheek and hurried off.  
  
She picked at the food for a moment and tried a bite of eggs, quickly spitting them into her napkin. Frank returned and sat next to her again "how is it?" he asked.  
  
"I couldn't have done better" she smiled and managed to eat a piece of bacon. Thank god my birthday is once a year, she thought.  
  
The day seemed to fly by. It was almost noon and Frank needed to get her out of the house for at least an hour so the guests could arrive and Tom and the others could set up for the party. He finally convinced her to go for a horse ride with him. They rode to the spot that Frank had proposed marriage to her fifteen years before, and they sat hand in hand looking out at the land. Every so often Frank would sneak a peak at his watch to make sure that they could leave on time.  
  
"Are you in a hurry for something?" she asked.  
  
"What? What do you mean?"  
  
"That must be the 10th time you've looked at your watch in the past five minutes" she smiled.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. Just a habit I guess." It was a quarter to two, he told everyone to be ready by two, for the big surprise. "Why don't we head back?"  
  
"I'd kind of like to stay. We haven't been alone in a while, can't we stay here for a while?"  
  
"I told Tom that I'd help him fix the fence near the barn…it has to be done soon before-"  
  
"Frank! You promised me we'd spend the day together!" she said sadly.  
  
"We will, as soon as we're done with the fence, I promise."  
  
Neither of them said a word on their way home, Frank felt bad about lying to Diane. He could tell that she was angry with him, but soon he would be able to tell her what had been going on, and he smiled to himself.  
  
They put the horses in the barn and started towards the house "Do you want me to make lunch?" she sighed as she opened the door.  
  
"SURPRISE!" A room full of people greeted her.  
  
"Oh my!" she said in shock.  
  
"Happy Birthday, Sis" Tom gave her a hug.  
  
Diane was speechless. She looked around at her friends and family and started to cry softly "I don't believe this!"  
  
"It wasn't easy keeping this from you" Tom said.  
  
Frank put his arms around her "I'm sorry I had to lie to you, I just wanted today to be special."  
  
"It is" she smiled.  
  
The party was going great, except for the caterers being late. People were getting hungry and constantly asking when the food was coming. "We better do something to keep every ones mind off food for a while" Tom whispered to his bother "how about giving Diane her present."  
  
"Yeah. Go get her, I have to run upstairs and get it."  
  
Tom went looking for his sister in law and stole her away from a boring conversation with one of their neighbors "thank you so much" she whispered to him as they walked away "I don't think I could have handled one more second."  
  
"My pleasure" he smiled and led her to a chair "wait here" he said and walked off.  
  
Eleven picnic tables had been set up for the guests, and balloons and streamers floated in the air. Diane was a little relieved to be alone for a few minutes. She felt awkward in her riding jeans and flannel shirt with all her friends and family dressed in their best outfits. Frank emerged from the house with a box wrapped in light purple wrapping paper with a pink bow. He sat in front of her and placed it in her hand's "Happy Birthday!" he smiled.  
  
"Thank you!" she said excitedly and unwrapped it. In the box there was an 8X9 photo that she recognized right away as Morocco. "Frank, it's beautiful, where'd you get it?"  
  
"The travel agency down town" he grinned.  
  
"When we were planning the trip to Missouri?" she asked admiring the picture.  
  
"Nope. When I picked up these" he lifted the picture out of the box to reveal two plane tickets.  
  
"Oh God!" she screamed "Frank!" she started to cry, "We're going?"  
  
"Saturday" he smiled.  
  
She threw her arms around him and cried, "Thank you so much!" she whispered.  
  
"No. Thank you, for being the best wife that a man could ever want…and the best friend that I ever had" he wiped the tears from her eyes and kissed her.  
  
The next week seemed to go by slower than any other time in her life. Diane had prepared for the trip the night of the party. The day they were to leave seemed to go by in slow motion. She tried not to look at the clock but found it hard and was annoyed when whenever she looked up at it, it was only a minute or two later than it had been the last time she checked. Finally the time came and Frank helped her get their bags into their car. She kissed the children good-bye, and went down the list of do's and don'ts with Tom for the kids. Again, he nodded his head as if he were paying attention and made funny faces at her when she turned her back, making the boys giggle. The rest of the way to the airport was a blur to her, and at last they were on the plane to Morocco. Frank took her hand and she rested her head on his shoulder as the plane took off. After years of dreaming, wishing and hoping, her dream had finally come true. She was off to the place that she had only visited in her mind or in books, sitting next to the man she loved who had truly given her the sweetest gift.  
  
The End 


End file.
